As part of the General Programme “Security and Safeguarding Liberties”, the European Union (EU) has established a specific programme for the period 2007-2013 aimed at supporting projects in the field of prevention, preparedness and consequence management for terrorist attacks and other security-related risks.

ACT

Council Decision 2007/124/EC of 12 February 2007 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013, as part of the General Programme "Security and Safeguarding Liberties", the Specific Programme "Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks".

SUMMARY

This programme aims to support Member States' efforts to prevent, to prepare for, and to protect people and critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks. It also aims to ensure protection against terrorism and other security related risks.

Prevention and preparedness

This programme aims to:

promote the assessment of risks to critical infrastructure and develop protection methodologies and security standards;

encourage exchanges of know-how and experience in protecting critical infrastructure.

Consequence management

The programme aims to encourage an exchange of know-how and good practices between the various actors responsible for crisis management and to organise joint exercises to enhance coordination between the relevant departments.

Eligible projects and actions

The programme will fund, through subsidy or public procurement contracts:

projects initiated and managed by the Commission with a European dimension;

transnational projects, which will involve partners in at least two Member States, or at least one Member State and one acceding or candidate country;

national projects within Member States, which prepare transnational projects and/or Community actions, which complement them or develop innovative technologies that could be used in other countries.

Eligible actions are specifically operational cooperation and coordination, analytical, audit and monitoring activities, information sharing, training and exchange of experts, as well as awareness and dissemination activities.

To participate in the "Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism" Programme, interested organisations must have legal status and be established in a Member State. Profit-making organisations have access to grants only if they work with non-profit making or State organisations.

Context

The Specific Programme on terrorism and the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme are part of the "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" Framework Programme, which has a budget of EUR 745 million for the 2007-2013 period.

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the mid-term evaluation of the Framework Programme “Security and Safeguarding Liberties” (2007-2013) [COM(2011) 318 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
The report evaluates the implementation of the "Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks" Programme for the 2007-2009 period. Overall, the projects supported by the programme have produced the expected results: creation of new tools and methodologies, disseminating good practice, and strengthening knowledge on specific issues. The majority of the projects concern prevention and preparedness for risks and are aimed at law enforcement agents. Italy and Spain account for 48 % of the projects. However, the Commission states that there have been different implementation problems and notes under-spending. It proposes to continue the programme until 2013 by improving the allocation of grants and the assessment process.

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament Establishing a Framework Programme "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" for the period 2007-2013 [COM(2005) 124 – Not published in the Official Journal].